Wounded Pride
by doc daniels
Summary: after the destruction of Alderaan . . . . .
1. Prologue

**Prologue**

Snow was falling in a constant slow sheet across the barren landscape. Not a tree or vegetation as far as the eye could scan. The snow was piling thicker in the absence of any breeze, obscuring the dusky sky in a pale blanket.

Thousands of miles above the solitary planet, a lambda shuttle meanders its ways through the widely spaced outer asteroid field of the Thule system. Among the craggy space rocks are several slabs of twisted metal and other space debris floating languidly in the system. Battered and barely limping the navigational computer locks into a signaling beacon and sputters into motion. A wild clicking and beeping sequence turns the craft directly for the frozen planet.

_Landing sequence initiated_, moans a metallic voice as the cruiser breaks the atmosphere of blinding snow and gently alters its course for a mountainous region totally covered in powder. The lambda's landing gear mechanically lower as the computer realigns the shuttle with a large metallic door opening in the face of the mountain chain. The shuttle slowly enters while the magnetic doors begin to close. _Dalliance_ comes to rest solidly but gently protected from the elements of the snow-covered barrens. _Landing complete. Have a nice visit_, squawks the metallic voice as thrusters stop and the cruiser goes silent, almost silent.

The silence is broken by the sound of decompression winds and a dull thud echoing in the emptiness of the cruiser's frame. The storage room has been transformed into a rudimentary medical bay with several computers and three medical pods placed vertically along the far wall. These medical computers come online in a whir of activity and, after a few quick seconds of rapidity, fall into a rhythmic dance across the screen._ Three units resuscitating_.


	2. Chapter 1

**1**

"That hurts a little much for a routine procedure," grimaced Hannius from a medical bay cot. "Why don't you leave some of the skin on my chest, HQ-44?"

"My apologies, sir," squeaked the medical droid. "It is inevitable that you feel some discomfort. I will do my best to alleviate the discomfort."

HQ-44 bends over to continue its stitching procedure, the array of lights causing his teal exoskeleton to sparkle with metallic undertones. A variation on the popular 2-1B droids used widely across the Galactic Empire, HQ-44 contains many of the analysis functions also common to FX-7s. HQ-44 does its mechanical best to evaluate the errors in its stitching style and minimize any more discomfort in order to avoid disintegration. The medical bay is a rather small and cluttered space filled with almost too many electronic and pneumatic devices.

Hannius looks up at the light array with a bit of a scowl on his face. His reflection on the body of HQ-44 is somewhat distorted into a menacing look of anger and fear. Angry at the inconvenience of this procedure and fear at what may have happened if he was only a bit slower with his parry. With his nearly six-foot frame filling the medical bay cot, the droid continues its work. "Is that stitching finished yet?"

"Complete, sir. Have a nice day," HQ-44 whirred as it places all the surgical equipment in sanitation bins with its three fingered metal hands and scuttles to the magnetic door.

Hannius looks at the zigging wound on his side and runs his finger along its path. _Almost, you fool, almost,_ he thought with a smile beginning to replace the grimace of pain that formerly painted his face. The smile growing larger as he realized this wound would not be the end of him. There was still a chance. And, that thought gave him an undeniable level of comfort that no spice farmed from a known system could bring.


	3. Chapter 2

**2**

"Where are we going in this battered piece of junk," came the first questioning thoughts forming words inside the shuttle's transformed medical bay? Hannius lifts his right foot out of the medical pod and places a bare foot on the metal floor. "Anyone working in here?"

The answer was a silencing echo that filled the cold and cluttered room. As Hannius lifts his other foot out of the pod, he notices that the other medical pods around him are also open. There in a state of unconsciousness are the naked forms of his two companions. Lifting himself to investigate, Hannius grabs a sheet and forms a hastily thrown together covering for his naked body. In the closest medical pod, the brown and beautiful form of a human woman with long black hair slowly breathes in and out the cold and frosty air. _Jeeva's alive_, Hannius thinks with a small smile.

Moving to his left down the hastily composed pod array, Hannius moves toward the other occupied medical pod. Inside he sees the naked form of his other companion and long time compatriot. _She's menacing even when she's sleeping_, Hannius chuckles. He takes in the mesmerizing view of her long red hair flowing and cascading from the head down and draping itself to her navel while the cold air flows in and out of her chest in a rhythmically hypnotizing pattern. _Vera survived also_, Hannius grinned menacingly.

Pulling the sheets about him a little tighter to stave off the cold, he walks to the wall of lockers within the medical bay and finds his cache. From inside, he pulls a dark gray robe with white and black accents, a pair of dark black slacks, and a utility belt and begins the process of dressing. He pulls the pair of dark slacks and fastens his utility belt while then throwing over his torso the gray robe. Each sleeve bears the insignia of the Galactic Empire in white enveloped in black flames that spiral around their length. His black boots still dimly shine despite the weeks without a true polishing that only a Thelusian buffing droid can provide. Finally, after pulling his belt tight, he checks the status of his lightsaber. He swings it free and twirls it a few times in the air. The comforting hum of its dance assures him that the dual purple blade is in good repair.

Hannius fastens the hilt to his belt and marches back for a final check of his companions. With their breathing still rhythmic and the computers working silently, he bows to both ladies and departs for the magnetic door leading to the cockpit.


End file.
